Around Town: Discovering that Freeport is a destination city

Marsha HoldenThe Journal-Standard

Saturday

Apr 7, 2018 at 11:00 AM

I have always thought of a destination city as a city that tourists like to visit. Usually there are special attractions such as museums, theaters and restaurants that offer fine dining and perhaps a museum or an especially challenging golf course. But did you know that Freeport is a destination city? I didn’t either until my home and I were the destination. As the story goes, Dean’s girlfriend’s daughter was complaining that she didn’t have any place to go for spring break.

Sunday afternoon my telephone rang and Dean asked what my plans were for the week. I fibbed a bit and said I was clear for the week because it had been since Christmas that I have seen them and I would welcome a visit. That’s settled. Tuesday afternoon the car pulled up with Dean, Angelina (girlfriend) Asiana (daughter), their friends Ayiana and Devonte and a cocker spaniel named Holly. Of course the minute I saw Devonte I was in seventh heaven because he is 6-foot-1, and I immediately enlisted him to replace one of my bathroom light bulbs. I just love tall guests.

I think one of the reasons they all like coming to Freeport is because the shopping is so easy. My home is just about a five-minute drive from Walmart and often that is the destination of choice for the teenagers. In Chicago one just doesn’t pick up and run off to Walmart. The main thing to consider is the parking space. Will it be there when you return? Most likely not. Here in Freeport a trip to Walmart poses no obstacles or jeopardy and the parking space is always available. Then as soon as they arrived and got the food in the fridge it was off to Walmart for a sleeping bag for Devonte.

In passing, they happened to discover a new electronic version of Monopoly. Well that was a great idea because it kept all three of them busy for most of the rest of the afternoon. Several months ago a new favorite stop was added — Starbucks. I do have a coffee pot, but the preferred drink of choice is from Starbucks, so Dean and I made a 6 a.m. run Wednesday with stop at Cub Foods for my New York Times that wonderful Donna snatches for me before some other guy gets them all. No one remembered to bring toothbrushes, so it was back to Walmart for toothbrushes. They even found them in a six-pack for $1. Dean thought that was such a bargain that he bought another for the next time they come without them.

Of course this crew had to eat and Dean, the chef, and I were cranking out roasted chickens and mashed potatoes, popovers, pancakes and sausages and scrambled eggs as fast as the kids could eat them. I finally went to bed exhausted but the kids had just gotten a second wind. In the kitchen sink in the morning was a lot of evidence of ice cream and chocolate sauce. Thursday morning, the day of departure, Dean and I went to the bank and left the kids to fix cereal for themselves. We did without the great hot breakfast. So now Freeport is a destination city because of the great shopping.

Marsha Holden; holdenhousehold9939@gmail.com

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